Love Is
by chocolateandsilver
Summary: A new take on Dramione. Friends from the beginning, lovers as time pass, always fighting not for good or bad, but for them. Besides, who are we to say what love is.
1. Love Is

_**Love.**_

Such a simple word, one syllable, four letters.

So small yet so big. One of the hardest words that anyone could possibly say.

Love has started wars, and it has ended them.

It is a source of happiness, and a cause of unbearable misery.

It can keep you alive, or kill you slowly.

Love is pain, love is pleasure, love is hard, love is easy, love is dark, love is twisted, love is beautiful, love if life.

But more importantly, love is _**un-ignorable.**_


	2. Chapter 1

Mom helped me pull my trunk out of the back of the car while dad went to get a cart. Kings Cross Station was busy as it always was whenever I was there but this time I paid more attention to who were walking into the station. I mean it's not like you can tell a witch or wizard just by looking at the person, but that didn't stop me from wondering if each kid that walked into the station was getting on Platform 9 ¾ just like I was.

"Hermione" I jumped and turned to look at my parents who were at the entrance already, "Come on Hermione you'll be late."

"Coming Mom," I did a little jog and joined them and we walked in together. I had been to the station many times before, my parents loved to travel, but seeing as I had never seen the platform I was looking in my many years of coming I felt like a lost infant. I could tell my parents were getting annoyed by my incessant looking around but they didn't say anything. After 11 years they knew to just let me find stuff on my own and not interfere or give their insight. Not that I didn't value my parents advice, it was just that when I put a "mission" in my head I don't want to be distracted.

We had walked up and down the station twice before my parents said anything. "Hermione, I don't see a Platform 9 ¾ around here honey. Are you sur-"

"Yes I'm positive that's what the letter said. Maybe we're not looking hard enough, or maybe there is another part of the station that we don't know about. I mean it's not like they can have a magical train right next to one going to Scotland. I knew I should have read more in my _Hogwarts: A History_ last night."

"Excuse me but did you say Hogwarts?" a voice behind us said. I turned and saw a blonde boy looking at me. He was the same height as me with gray eyes and a round face with hints of strong angles that would become more prominent as he grew up. What Hermione noticed most about the boy was that he was smiling at her in a friendly way that made her smile too.

"Yeah I did actually. Are you going to be a first year? Don't make fun of me but I don't know how to get onto the platform, or where it is for that matter. Do you think you could help?"

"I am going to be a first year. I know where it is just follow me. I'm here by myself my parents just told me how to find it and dropped me off with my luggage. It's this way." With that he turned around and grabbed his cart that held his luggage and a proud grey owl with random black feathers that made the owl seem intimidating even though it held a friendly gleam in its eyes. I motioned to my parents and we followed the boy to a brick wall between platforms 9 and 10. There the boy stopped and turned around again.

"So what you're gonna have to do is simply walk into the wall and you'll appear on the other side of the wall and onto the platform. My parents said to take it at a run if you're nervous. But they said you don't feel any impact you just pop out. We can go together if you want."

"Thank you, I'll just say bye to my parents and we can go." I turned to my Mom and Dad and spoke to them. "It sounds like only magical people will be able to go through the wall. I'll write you guys every week don't worry about me." They each hugged me and wished me well and good luck and be safes, the typical parental things to say. With one last kiss to each of them I turned around to face the wall with the blonde kid.

"They're gonna stay behind. They have somewhere to be right after this and they don't wanna get caught up in all the hustle." I was lying to him for a reason I wasn't quite sure about. I had heard that some wizarding families looked down upon muggle born witches and from the way this boy held himself he was definitely apart of a long line of pure blooded wizards and I didn't want to lose my only shot at a friend I might have at school.

"I understand how that goes," he said. "Come on we've only got ten minutes and I want to get a good seat on the train." We both started to jog towards the wall and though I was frightened out of my mind I didn't stop, but I did close my eyes right as our carts would have crashed into the wall but we didn't and soon I heard new voices and sounds all around me and I opened my eyes and gasped. The Hogwarts Express was a huge crimson machine with gold letters bearing the name on the side with the crest under it. All around her were families rushing to get their children, luggage, cats, toads, and owls onto the train all while saying goodbye and consoling their other children who weren't yet old enough to attend Hogwarts. I would have just stood there had the boy not nudged my shoulder and told me to follow him.

"Let's go to the end of the train, maybe there'll be an empty compartment there." We pushed our carts through the throng of people and made it to the back of the train with five minutes left before the train was to leave. The boy helped me get my stuff onto the train before he worried about his own stuff, an act that I found very thoughtful indeed. I was beginning to think this boy might not be a racist pureblooded wizard after all. Once both of them had their luggage on the trains they went to find an empty compartment. Turns out the back of the train was a good idea after all because there were fewer students back here and we found a compartment easily. We both looked out the windows and watched last minute rushes to load the train and soon enough the whistle blew and the train pulled out of the station. I was in awe of the beautiful countryside rushing past me. I had always found England to be gorgeous but it was sights like these that truly made me appreciate where I lived. After a few minutes I turned to look at the boy sitting across from me and I realized that I didn't even know his name and he had helped me with so much. I mean if it weren't for him who knows if I would even be sitting on the train.

"I'm sorry but what is your name? I never got it."

"I'm Draco, Draco Malfoy. I'm sorry for not telling you sooner I guess I was just caught up in the excitement," he extended his hand and I took it. I liked the way his name sounded. Very aristocratic and proper. He was definitely a pureblooded wizard if I had ever seen one. "And you are?"

"Hermione, Hermione Granger," I smiled at him as we shook hands.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Hermione."


	3. Chapter 2

5 Years Later….

"Ron can you at least wait until we can't see the station anymore before you start shoving sweets in your mouth?" I joked while Harry chuckled and looked at our friend who was currently swallowing a bag of Bertie Bott's whole. Ron looked at both of us before finishing the bag, burping, and then laughing. I tried to look disgusted but to be honest it was funny so I started to laugh with him.

"Ron why do you always eat like you've never had food before?" Harry asked "I mean like seriously the food isn't going to go anywhere I mean I know we're magical folk but the food itself won't disapparate itself."

"Shut up Harry, when you grow up with five brothers you learn that food is not promised and that if it's in front of you, you eat it no questions asked," Ron said while giggling then suddenly turned very serious and said "I've lived a hard life."

We all got quite for a bit before we burst our into fits of laughter. Ron had by no means lived a hard life. His life had been as hard as a puppies who lived with the Queen of England.

"Yeah right Ron you saying you've lived a hard life is like me saying I have bad teeth,"I said while holding my sides from laughing so hard. I loved how much fun I could have with Ron and Harry. They were my best friends and I honestly could not see my life without them. They looked after me and protected me but didn't treat me like some delicate little girl. They knew I was a strong girl and could take care of myself and that made me love them even more.

"Well what's the joke I wanna have a chuckle too," came a voice from the doorway and we all turned to see who it was. The boys immediately stopped laughing and their faces became slight scowls but I stood up and ran towards the person and gave him a hug.

"Draco! How are you? How was your summer? I missed you," I said. Draco hugged me back before answering.

"I'm fine, my summer was fine and I missed you too," he said before turning to the other two passengers of the compartment. "Hello Scarhead, Weaselbee. Shame to see you two are still here," Draco sneered before I punched him in the shoulder.

"Be nice!"

"Hello Ferr-I mean Malfoy. Good to see you haven't turned into Lord Voldermort himself over the summer. But I think the absence of a nose would be agreeable on you don't you think?" Ron said.

"Ronald that was rude and unnecessary," I said to him. His ears turned red but his scowl remained. I sighed with frustration "It's been nearly six years can't you three at least be CIVIL to each other for my sake at least? You three are my best friends and I would like to be able to be around you guys without fear of a duel breaking out."

"We apologize Hermione," Harry said while he elbowed Ron in the ribs to get him to agree with him. I turned to Draco who rolled his eyes before saying anything.

"I'll be as pleasant as a hand full of daisies. Happy?"

"I'm pacified for now. So Draco anything exciting happen to you over the summer?"

"If it did I would not tell you in front of the wonder twins over there," he motioned to Ron and Harry. "Besides I came here to get you and Weasley to go to the Prefects compartment."

"Oh yeah that's right I can't believe I forgot thank you, come on Ron we have to go. Harry we'll be back as soon as we can."

"It's okay, I'm sure Neville and Ginny will be around soon enough to help fill the painful void of you and Ron's absences," Harry said morbidly which made Draco chuckle to himself, Ron roll his eyes and I just shook my head and walked out of the compartment.

"You guys make me sick sometimes you know that right?"

"Of course we do Hermione," Ron said as he looped his arm through mine on the left.

"And that is why you love us," Draco said as he looped his arm through mine on the right.

And that is how we walked towards the Prefects compartment arm through arm. Naturally once we were at the door for the compartment we broke apart so no one would see us all linked together. Not that people didn't know about our friendship, well at least mine and Draco's. Despite me being a muggleborn and him being the wizarding worlds pureblooded prince of darkness as I so fondly call him when I want to make him angry, we were friends, good friends, best friends if I'm being completely honest. I loved Ron and Hermione and I could spend a lot of my time with them and they understand me and we connect no doubt about it. But with Draco, it was, it is something different. Romance? No, me and Draco Malfoy are in no way romantically involved. I don't even think he sees me like that. Sometimes I wonder if he even knows I'm a girl. Well, that's a tad bit dramatic he knows I'm a girl, what with all the crap Pansy gives him for being friends with me. You would think someone would just let it go after five years ESPECIALLY since she's not even dating Malfoy, they just shag occasionally which I find absolutely gut churning. To me that's like making love to a dog. Gross.

The Head Boy and Girl for this year handed out our Prefect Rounds Schedule and in an effort to promote house unity they would change from having housemates making the Rounds together to mixing it up and with my luck I was partnered with Draco. Not only were we partnered together but we had the first set of Rounds which were tonight after everyone else were supposed to be in their beds. Ron was with Hannah Abbot from Hufflepuff and from the way he smiled he seemed fine with it. Me and Draco met each others eyes from across the compartment and he gave me his signature smirk followed by a wink and I giggled to myself making Ron snort at the both of us.

After that and a little speech about protecting the kids from darkness and such we were dismissed and me and Ron walked back to our compartment to find it full of our friends having a good time and we joined in with them. Soon enough it was time for us to change into our robes and gather our things and get off the train. Me and Ginny were talking about how tacky the Quidditch robes looked just to mess with Ron and Harry and annoy them. Just because they respect that I'm a girl they don't like to be reminded of it so me and Ginny like to pick with them every now and then. The four of us climbed into a carriage but I told Neville, Hannah, and Luna to climb in as well so we were all on top of each other and we were all crying from laughing by the time we got to the castle. We all walked into the castle together and took a second to just take in the beauty of our home away from home. God I had missed this place so much over the summer. No matter what I always feel safe inside these walls. We walked towards the Great Hall and went to our separate house tables. I sat across from Harry and Ginny next to Ron and we chattered until Dumbeldore stood up and gave his regulation speech about house unity in times of darkness and peril. I didn't really pay attention to what he was saying. Actually I completely zoned out and ended up staring into space, not thinking of anything in particular, just happy to be back at school. I felt someone's eyes on me so I looked around until I found Draco looking at me with a confused expression. No doubt he's worried about me zoning out, I'm not much of a zone outer, you can't be if you wanna be top of the class. I smiled at him and mouthed I'm fine and he smiled back at me before turning back to look at our Headmaster. I shook my head before turning to look at the Headmaster as well.


	4. Chapter 3

"Way to keep me waiting Grangey Poo," Draco Drawled as I walked out of the Gryffindor Common Room to meet him for our rounds.

"Ugh Draco please you know I absolutely hate it when you call me that. It makes me want to throw up. Or commit murder. Don't be my unlucky victim," I warned him jokingly as we started to walk down the hallway towards the main entrance to the castle. In our rounds we had to start from the entrance of the castle, go up to the left and explore that side first, then cross over and explore downward on the right all the way to the dungeons and then finish back at the entrance. It took three hours if you were as thorough as you were supposed to be.

"So how was your summer? I'm sorry I didn't get to write to you at all, the Manor was rather busy for reasons I'm sure you know about," Draco began.

"It was pretty good. Me and my parents spent two weeks cruising around Europe and that was pretty much the highlight of my summer," I told him as we walked up the stairs. "Your guest of honor yes I heard about him. How awkward was it? He didn't hurt you did he?" Ever since the "official" return of Voldermort, meaning once everyone started listening to Harry, it was rumored that Voldemort spent a lot of time at the Malfoy Manor and that he wasn't at all pleased with the Death Eaters who let the prophecy get destroyed. "I hate that you have to live in the middle of that."

"It was as miserable as you could possibly imagine times ten. Plus since I am the son of the man who failed the Dark Lord I have to make up for their mistakes," Draco said as I watched his face. The way his face changed as he spoke I could tell that whatever it was he had to do to, it was absolutely terrible.

"He already gave you a mission didn't he? You already know what he wants you to do," we had reached the end of a hallway and the moon was shining through the window. I stopped walking and turned to look at him, and this time I really looked at him. I noticed the dark circles under his eyes and how dead his eyes looked. He hadn't been getting much sleep, and from how loosely the robes hung from his shoulders he hadn't been eating much either. "How bad is it?"

"I have to kill someone," he said in a flat, lifeless tone. I sucked in air as my mind processed what he was saying. In hindsight it really wasn't that bad. At least he didn't have to torture someone for information or something along those lines. Just Avada Kedavra and he would be done and in the good graces of the Dark Lord, meaning he would be kept alive.

"That's not that bad, Draco. I mean really it could be worse."

"I-It's Dumbeldore," Draco stammered out. "I have to kill Dumbeldore."

I could feel my mouth drop open and the shock on my face. The Dark Lord really must be upset with the Malfoy family I mean there is no way Draco could succeed in this mission. And I felt so sorry for Draco and scared for him. If Draco failed I was almost positive that he would be killed, and the thought of losing Draco made my throat swell up and tears come to my eyes and I reached out and gave him a hug. He slowly wrapped his arms around me and held onto me tightly. I could feel something wet on my shoulder and realized that he was crying softly. And with that I made a decision. I wouldn't lose Draco, I couldn't lose Draco. Just the mere thought of it makes my stomach churn and makes me wanna throw up. He was my rock whenever I needed a dose of reality. We had been friends since I first walked into Kings Cross Station. Even when he found out I was a muggleborn he stayed my friend no matter what everyone was saying to him about her. He defended me and stuck up for me whenever people called me a mudblood, even against his own parents. I-I loved him. Not romantically, but I loved him, I needed him in my life.

He was not going to fail. He would have to kill Dumbeldore.

I pulled back and looked him his eyes that were shiny with tears. "I'm going to help."


	5. Chapter 4

"Hermione can I talk to you?" I turned around and saw Draco standing there waiting for me to answer. It was two weeks after school started and I was eating a late breakfast because I had a free period for my first hour. I was by myself, Harry and Ron had Divination together and seeing as I abhorred that class I didn't take it.

"Yeah, what's up?"

"Just follow me, we could walk outside near the lake."

"Um, okay sure. It's still kinda warm outside anyways so that should be fine," we walked out of the Great Hall making small chatter about classes and assignments. We had all of the same classes except for Muggle Studies for obvious reasons. We had just stepped outside when we heard a disgusted scoff behind us and turned around.

"Oh well hello Pansy!" I said in the fakest, sweetest voice I could muster. I despised that girl so much. The way she was always hanging all over him was vomit inducing plus she was a full blown whore. Totally not worth any of Draco's attention but no matter how smart he was he was still a boy with raging hormones so I didn't say much. "And to what do I owe this pleasant surprise?"

"Can it bookworm I came to talk to Draco. Drakkie can you come spend free period with me? I know something fun we could do." By this point I walked away and pretended to throw up on the floor behind her back. I could see Draco smiling out of humor before turning his attention to the overly cheesy and whiny Pansy.

"Sorry Pansy but I have prior commitments to attend to at the moment. I'll have to take a rain check. And I pray it never rains," Draco said snidely. I couldn't help but smile at how he treated her. I mean sure he shagged the girl pretty much every night, but whenever she insulted me he always stepped in to defend me. Made it known that our friendship was more important than a shag with a whore. That he cared about me and wouldn't allow anyone to hurt me. I knew I couldn't lose him. He had done so much for me ignoring pressure from both his family and his house to be friends with me. The least I could do for him was make sure he didn't die. Seemed like a fair trade off if you asked me.

Pansy started making these weird noises that I guess were supposed to be offended scoffs, I don't know she sounded like a dying pig to me. Anyways she turned on her heel and stomped off to class leaving Draco shaking his head and me chuckling and walking towards the front door. Draco followed muttering something to himself about crazy females and barn animals which made me laugh a little harder. We kept walking and laughing until we made it to the lake where we sat next the tree we had sat at since first year. It bordered right on the edge of the Forbidden Forrest and afforded us privacy from prying eyes. I sat down at the base of the tree and leaned against the trunk. Draco sat next to me and did the same, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. We sat in silence for a few minutes. It wasn't uncomfortable at all, I knew whatever it was Draco needed to say he would have to get it out on his own time. I let him take his time and let my mind wander about class and what assignments I needed to take care of which were not many at all so I just started thinking about different potions and their ingredients. Random I know but it was the only thing I could think of.

"I don't want you to help me Hermione," I turned and looked at Draco. His eyes were still closed and his head was still leaning against the tree. To avoid looking in my eyes. Because he knew that statement would set me off.

"What do you mean Draco?" I tried to start off calm. I didn't want to get into a shouting match with Draco about killing Dumbeldore on school grounds for obvious reasons.

"I don't want you to help me. I can't put my family's mistakes and my responsibilities on you. What type of a man would that make me look like?"

"I don't care what type of _man_ it will make you look like Draco. No knows I'm going to help you so don't worry your image as the Prince of Darkness will still be intact," I spat at him. I couldn't believe his _ego_ was why he didn't want me to help. I turned my head away from him and tried to calm myself down by closing my eyes and breathing slowly. I really didn't want to do this. Fighting with Draco was nasty business.

"But what about what I know Hermione? I'll know that you helped me and I can't live with that-

"Why!? Why can't you let me help Draco?" the words were spilling out of my mouth like vomit and I couldn't stop them no matter how hard I willed myself to shut my mouth and just listen to him. "Because I'm a girl? Because I'm a Gryffindor? Because I'm _muggleborn_?" I knew that did it for him. He hated whenever blood status was brought up. I knew it was a low blow but I just couldn't understand why he wouldn't let me just do this for him Didn't he see I was doing this for myself more so then I am doing it for him? My actions were rather selfish in my book.

"You know that is not why. I cannot believe that even crossed your mind. Shouldn't six years of friendship prove to you that I could give two shits about blood status?"

"Draco I'm sorry I shouldn't have-

"No you shouldn't have said that. Because the reason I don't want you involved has nothing to do with your blood status, your house, or your _gender_," he spat at me. I flinched with the emotion in his voice. I had really insulted him.

"I know-

"NO! You don't know Hermione. I don't want you to help me because I love you and if you got hurt I couldn't live with myself."

"I love you too Draco and I…What did you say?"


	6. Chapter 5

Did I just hear what I think I did? He said he loved me?

"I said I love you Hermione. And I can't have you at risk by helping me," he said. I could feel him looking at me but I couldn't turn my head to look at him I just couldn't do it. I had a feeling that this was more than a platonic type of love.

"I mean I know you love me I love you too Draco I mean we're best friends. We have been for six years we've been through a lot of things together of course we're gonna have love for each other but that's no excuse for you not to let me help you and as a matter of fact it should be more motivation for you to let me help because I love you and I don't want to lose you," I hope that the next words that came out of his mind were words of agreement to what I had said. That he would just let me help him and the "I love you" he just said was not what I feared what it truly was.

"Yes we have been friends for 6 years. But the love I am talking about is not the love between friends. I'm in love with you Hermione. Head over heels in love with you," His eyes were boring a hole into the side of my face. I could hear his breathing was slightly strained and I could imagine that his face was slightly flushed the way it gets when he is doing something difficult. I knew this guy like the back of my hand. His every thought, his moves, his mannerisms, his reactions, his emotions, EVERYTHING. So how did I miss this? How did I not notice that he was falling in love with me? I would have noticed right? I could have picked up on it, said something, talked to him, stopped it. No, my knowledge of Draco was never wrong, I knew he couldn't be in love with me. He just COULDN'T be.

"Draco you can't love me. You just can't," I still had my head against the tree but I had opened my eyes maybe hoping that inspiration for what to say would fall right from the sky. "We just have been really good friends with each other for a long time. We know everything about each other, we spend a whole lot of time together. Maybe you're just confused, maybe the stress over what you have to do for the Dark Lord is messing with your head. But you can't be in love with me you just can't. That's just, impossible," I was at a loss. A complete loss of what to say, what to do. I just, I just, hell I couldn't even think straight.

We sat in silence for a few minutes. I knew he was still looking at me, waiting for me to get my head together. He knew me just as well as I knew him. He knew I would need time to just be, no thinking or talking just be. So he gave me my time just like I gave him his when we first sat down. I did this yoga technique I picked up, 20 slow, deep breaths in and out. It made me feel much better and calmer and not as frazzled as I was when Draco dropped that bomb on me. I still couldn't believe it but I felt better able to talk to him about it and make him come to his senses about this.

"I want to help you with your mission Draco," I started off. That's what I would do, turn the conversation back to helping him and off of his _love_ for me. I could handle killing Dumbeldore. "And I don't want to help you just so you succeed. I'm helping so you don't fail. I know how evil and twisted the Dark Lord is and I can only imagine what he would do to not only your family but you too if you don't succeed and I don't want anything bad to happen to you. Nothing bad can happen to you Draco because if I lose you I don't know what I would do with myself. I mean you're my best friend, you get me better than anyone else, better than I know myself. So in all honesty I'm not helping you I'm only helping myself really. I'm being completely selfish in my actions. So don't argue with me, and don't tell me not to. Let me do this. If not for you, then for me."

We sat in more silence for a few minutes. I knew he was thinking about what I had said, and I also knew he noticed how I didn't bring up his love in my mini speech. I knew he wouldn't bring it up again, at least not right now. He knew I needed more time, to think and process and understand. It's what I did. I closed my eyes and just listened to the sounds of the Forest and his breathing. When it returned back to his normal pattern I knew he had made a decision but I waited for him to say something.

"Okay, as much as I don't like this I'll let you help me. But not for me, but for you like you said," I finally looked at him and saw the same Draco I had known for years. I guess subconsciously I thought he would look different, like a lovesick puppy. But I could only see the arrogant prick of a friend I always saw when I looked at him and for that I was more relieved than words can express. I searched his eyes for anything different in them and saw nothing out of the norm of his light grey eyes. He was the same Draco.

"Thank you," I told him, hoping he would pick up my true meaning in the words through my eyes. His lips pulled up into a slight smirk and I knew he had. We sat and looked into each other's eyes for a while, both of us communicating things we didn't have to say out loud. We were on the same level with each other, had a deep understanding of what the other was thinking. I knew his _I love you_ was only something to trip me up. I knew it, I mean it had to be. I knew Draco better than that and looking into his eyes made me see that. If someone is in love with you, you should be able to see it in their eyes right?


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N: im soooo sorry guys! I started my fall semester late August and I have to get almost perfect grades to fix my G.P.A. so I've obviously been M.I.A. but I will try to post more often I really will. Thanks for being patient! love you guys!**

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Quidditch practice. The boys I insisted that I watch the first practice of the season and then afterwards give my opinion on how the team looks. Harry was really nervous since he was Captain this year and he had to essentially build a completely new team. Even though I told him to calm down and that he would be great as Captain he was still concerned so I agreed to be there. Plus Ron had to retry out for his spot as Keeper against some tool named Cormac McLaggen, and even though he had out done him he was still worried that maybe he shouldn't have so I was his reassurance. I actually was pretty happy to be sitting even alone in the stands around the Quidditch pitch. Not because I actually wanted to watch them play, but because it afforded me the opportunity to study this book I had checked out from the library a few days ago. It talked about different ways of transportation from one place to another without using Apparation. I expected the standard Floo Powder and broomstick, but I was looking for something else that Draco had mentioned a few days ago. A sort of wardrobe that had two parts and would transport people from one place to the other, depending upon where the wardrobes were placed. Ideally, we would have one wardrobe placed in Hogwarts and another somewhere else. The plan was still in the works, the details weren't nailed down yet so I wanted to look up more information about the wardrobes and see if they would really work.

As I was flipping through the pages another part of my mind wandered away from looking from the wardrobes to thinking about the past few days. It had been a week since Draco said he loved me, not that it mattered because I knew he was lying, but still it was something to think about. Nothing between us had changed at least not outwardly. We were still the same best friends and besides the obvious differences, I mean we were trying to find a way to kill our headmaster, nothing had changed between us. But it had. I began to notice the slight way his looks would linger at me when he normally just glance my way. And when I did look in his eyes I began to see something else there. What it was, I wasn't sure, but it was there. We talked about what he said the night before and he confirmed what I thought, that he had indeed been lying just to distract me from helping him. I knew how well I knew Draco and I knew he wasn't in love with me. We had laughed at how ridiculous it sounded, Draco in love with Hermione. But even as we were laughing he was strange, his laugh seemed forced, like he didn't really find it so funny. And his eyes looked, disappointed maybe? Sad? I couldn't decide really.

Stop it Hermione you're being ridiculous and you're just overthinking. Right, that was what I was doing, overthinking everything. Maybe his fake I love you affected me more than I thought it did. Not that I wanted him to be in love with me oh heavens no. It was just…I don't know what it was actually. I didn't see him like that did I? Did I? My fingers stopped flipping through the pages in the book and I set it down on my lap. I had spent so much time thinking about Draco's feelings for me or lack of feelings or whatever that I had spent no time thinking about what I felt about him. Hell I didn't even know how I felt about him. I made Draco having feelings for me seem next to impossible. A cold day in hell would be when Draco Malfoy had feelings for me. But why? Why did I constantly tell myself that Draco could never love me as more than his best friend? Was it disgust? Or something else, something like…fear. Fear of being hurt or rejected? Fear of getting my hopes up, or thinking he loved me and then feeling my heart shatter into a million pieces?

"Don't think too hard there Hermione," I heard from what seemed like a thousand miles away. I turned around in my seat and saw Draco standing in the row behind me. I hoped my face wouldn't give away what I had just been thinking about and turned fully around to face him.

"Hey there loser, hasn't anyone told you it's not nice to sneak up on people like that?" Teasing him, yes that is what you do Hermione. That way he doesn't think anything is different. STOP IT! What on earth are you talking about "anything different" nothing is different. Draco is just your friend and that is the only way you see him, as a friend. Nothing more. Well maybe a tiny bit more.

"Hermione?" I snapped my eyes back to Draco. He was looking at me with a bit of concern in his face. I guess my inner battle had distracted me from what he was saying. "Are you quite alright? You seem to have a lot on your mind. Anything you need to talk about?"

"No I'm just thinking about this wardrobe idea you came up with that's all sorry to worry you. Even though you're still wrong for sneaking up on me."

"Alright I got it no more sneaking around while Hermione is on edge blah blah. Anyways get this: I wanted to invite you to a party."

To my major chagrin my heart started pounding away at a rapid pace and it felt like I was getting sick, I guess that's what normal people call getting butterflies. Draco was inviting me to a party, why? As his friend, his date? I felt like everything was so different but to him it was completely normal. Or was it? My mind flashed back to when we were fighting at the tree in the Forrest. He had said he loved me and he had seemed so serious about it. What if he really was? Maybe this was a romantic invite.

"Earth to HERMIONE!" I focused my eyes on the present and saw Draco waving his hands in front of my eyes. "I swear you're acting looney…well more so than you normally do."

"I'm sorry really I just have a lot on my mind I guess, you know worrying about keeping you alive past sixth year."

"Well that's the point of this party Hermione, some Slytherins and Ravenclaws have it set up and I figured this could be a chance for us to not worry about my you know _mission_ and just have a good time. Some good drinks, good people, good times you know?"

"It sounds fun Draco of course I'll meet you there," I figured I would try to act as normal as possible until I figured out what the hell was going.

"Meet me there? No we're going together silly. The party is next Friday so I'll be outside your portrait hole at 10:45," he got up to leave but before he turned around he said "oh and try to look sexy. I mean I know it won't be too hard but still," and with that he left.

I was left dumfounded. What did that mean? Look sexy? He would meet me? We're going together? Like a date? Does a school party count as a date? I won't be hard for me to look sexy?

What was going on between me and my best friend?


	8. Chapter 7

I was staring at her again. I didn't mean to do it; I never meant to do it, hell I never meant to fall in love with her. Yeah I said it, fall in love; me the cold hearted Slytherin has fallen in love, with a muggleborn bookworm Gryffindor no less. But she was more than that. She was my best friend, the only person I could talk to about anything and everything, the only person I could ask honest advice from and they wouldn't sugar coat it or tell me what I want to hear. When I really thought about it, and I rarely did, it was kinda destined to happen, me falling in love with her. She was my breath of fresh air and a healthy dose of reality when I most needed it, my voice of reason, my conscience, my better half. She was everything I wasn't and everything I wanted. But I only thought this when I was being completely honest with myself, and I rarely ever, EVER did that. Most days I tried not to think about it. But its normally a losing battle.

Like today for example: while I was supposed to be paying attention to the potion I was currently brewing, I was instead to paying attention to how Hermione's delicate hands fluttered over the chopping board with such ease and grace. She cut the ingredients with such ease but I knew for a fact the root she was cutting was really tough and required a lot of force, but she made it look so easy. That's what I loved the most about her, the gentle strength she had. At first glance Hermione looks so breakable and delicate, like a piece of glass. Her hair was a rich chestnut color that had some honey colored pieces that sparkled in the sunlight. Her skin was the perfect shade of slightly tan and it held that shade no matter the season or amount of sunlight she was in and her body was very curvy, though she hid it underneath her robes. But what made her look really delicate were her eyes which were the color of honey coated chocolate. Her eyes held so much joy and innocence in them. From face value anyone could easily see Hermione as nothing more than a doe eyed school girl. But I knew it wasn't true. When you really looked you could see the strength in Hermione's eyes, strength that has been tested time and time again. Hermione could bring the strongest men to their knees with a simple spell and she knew it. That's what made me love her. She was strong where I wasn't; she made me a better man. If I had never helped her that first day at King's Cross, who knows where I would be right now.

"Draco? Draco you need to be stirring the potion or it's gonna harden up on us. HELLO EARTH TO DRACO!" I snapped out of my reverie and was faced with a disgruntled Hermione. God she was beautiful, she really was.

"I'm sorry I was just lost in my thoughts you know," I tried to play it off like I was concerned about my task I had been assigned by the Dark Lord. Although that had been weighing heavily on my mind and when I wasn't thinking about Hermione I was thinking about that, it was still a lie at the moment. Not that I would ever let her know that. I had already slipped up once and told her I loved her and thankfully she bought that I was just saying it to get her to stop helping, but I didn't want to take any chances. As much as I wanted to be with Hermione romantically, I didn't want to lose our friendship more. And I knew she didn't see me that way. Sadly. "I'll keep my thoughts on this potion. Potion, potion, potion."

"Yeah whatever loser just stir the potion. I want a good grade on this and if you ruin this for me I'll curse you into next year. The Dark Lord should be the last thing on your mind right now," I chuckled to blow it off but in all seriousness I was kinda scared of her threats. I had been on the receiving end of one of her curses before and that is not an experience I want to relive again. I put aside my hearts desires and focused on getting through potions class. Though it was proving to be a bit difficult with Hermione constantly brushing past me for more ingredients…

"So are we stil-" I began to ask Hermione until I heard someone else call her name. It was Weasel. "Oh great…"

"Be nice," she said before she turned and gave him a smile that was too big and a hug that was too long for my liking. "What's up how did you potion go? And where's Harry?" I hated how much she cared about these losers; they seem to only use her for her brains whenever Harry wants to run off on a noble mission to save all mankind. But she insists that it isn't like that and that they're really good friends. I hold my tongue for her. I do a lot for her. I would do anything she asked me to do and I knew it. I was helpless to her I really was. She is everything I could have ever dreamed about in a woman and then some. If she let me I would do anything to make her happy and make sure she had whatever her hearted desired. One day maybe I would build up enough courage to tell her how I felt. Today was not that day.

"Okay I'll see you guys later. Tell Harry to feel better," I heard Hermione say so I snapped out of my thoughts and to my disgust saw them hug one more time before Weasel walked off to the Great Hall to stuff his face per usual. She turned to look at me. "So what were you about to ask?"

"I was gonna make sure we were still on for the party? I don't want you to flake out on me," the party was my brilliant way to gauge how Hermione felt about me, as just a friend or potentially something more. She didn't seem repulsed to the idea of us going to the party together in fact she seemed excited. But I didn't want to read too much into it just yet.

"Yeah you're picking me up a little before 11 right? In front of the portrait hole. Of course I'm still game for it. I can't wait," the smile she gave me took my breath away. She started walking down the hall and I had to force my legs to move. If only she knew just how much I loved her.


End file.
